How to raise Trust Factor and what it actually is

Trust Factor levels, how it works and how to check it

Trust factor, otherwise known as the trust level, is a bundle of different in-game factors and parameters that shape how players are matched in CS:GO competitive play. This matchmaking factor works for 5v5 and for 2v2

• What is Trust Factor in CS2?
• How do I check my Trust Factor level?
• Is your trust level low for no reason?
• How do I raise my Trust Factor and improve matchmaking?

A newer article with additional detail

What is Trust Factor in CS2?

After the CS2 update in June 2018 we were given a method that sorts players by the quality of their behaviour and generally improves the experience. The trust level is built from a large number of factors on your account, which we will talk about a little further on.

As you can see in the images below, your trust level can be green, yellow or red. Unfortunately Valve does not give us a numeric value for this parameter, so the only way to check it is by these badges

Red trust factor

If you get this message, it means that a player queueing for a match with you has a hidden trust score far below yours. The game will pick opponents with the same low trust score, even though the other members of the party may be perfectly fine

Yellow trust factor

This notice means the trust level of one player in the lobby is slightly below that of the other team members, and the game will still pick opponents based on the lowest score in the party

Green trust factor

If you get no trust factor message at all while searching for a game with friends, it means every player in the party is at roughly the same level, which is not always a sign of quality: note that if you take two players with a low score, they will see no notice either, because the game works out that both are playing on a low trust factor. So read on to learn how to actually determine your Trust Factor

How do I check my Trust Factor level?

If you want to check whether your trust factor is red (the lowest) or has a positive value, you can follow these steps:

1. Find a player with a guaranteed green Trust Factor. You can spot one by things like:

• Ideally you want a player with 150+ wins, several medals, badges and the other marks of a solid account
• The player has never been highlighted red or yellow in a queue with other players
• Any player who regularly reviews Overwatch cases in CS2 is guaranteed to have an elevated trust factor

2. Join a lobby with that player and start a search in Wingman, that is 2v2, and if you get no warnings about a low trust level, your level is guaranteed to be green

It is not the simplest method, but at the moment it is the only one that works

Is your trust level low for no reason?

There are plenty of factors behind a red or yellow trust level. Let us walk through the main reasons:

1. You play without Prime status. Right now having Prime on the account is a very important part of the picture
2. Obviously, even with a Prime account, if you regularly collect reports for cheating or bad behaviour your trust level will drop into the red zone fast
3. Playing with other players who have a low trust level (in a party) also often becomes an additional factor
4. Your account is new, has no phone number attached, few transactions, few store purchases and little play time overall

How do I raise my Trust Factor and improve matchmaking?

If you already know your trust level is red or yellow, you can take the following steps:

1. Collect as many commends from other players as you can - you can simply ask for them
   You can also get commends the easier way, from us - a commend boost lifts trust factor right away
2. Raise your in-game activity in CS2: you need to play different modes, competitive included, without collecting reports
3. Watch Overwatch! If the feature is already available on your account, review 10-15 Overwatch cases and within a few days you will notice your trust level change
4. Raise the activity of your Steam account: play other games, leave comments in the Steam community and generally make your account look alive
5. Make sure a phone number is attached to the account
6. The last proven way to raise trust factor: lift the account limit by spending $5 on Steam, and for accounts where the limit is already lifted, pick up a game on discount. In short, show financial activity on the account